116 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS CHAP. 



Neither the mahouts nor their animals appeared to enjoy the 

 fun of l>eating out this piece of dense covert, as they were well 

 aware that the tiger was "at home." As it was absolutely 

 necessary to form and keep a perfect line, the elephants l>eing 

 shoulder to shoulder, I tagged the Rajah and his friends to ride 

 towards the terminus of the tamarisk bottom, placing a gun at the 

 extreme end and upon either side ; while I should accompany the 

 taatere to keep a correct line, and to drive the covert towards 

 them. I felt sure that by this arrangement the tiger could not 

 escape without being seen. 



This was well carried out ; they took their places, and after 

 some delay I managed to collect about forty elephants into a 

 straight line, not more than 4 or 6 feet from each other. The 

 word was given for the advance, and the effect was splendid. The 

 crash through the yielding mass was overpowering ; the dark 

 plumes of the tamarisk bowed down before the irresistible phalanx 

 of elephants ; the crackling of the broken stems was like the sound 

 of fire rushing through a cane-brake, and this was enlivened by 

 sudden nervous squeals, loud trumpets, sharp blows of kettle-drums, 

 deep roars, and all the numerous sounds which elephants produce 

 when in a state of high nervous excitement. I felt sure that at 

 times the tiger was only a few feet in our advance, and that it was 

 slinking away before the line. 



The elephants increased in excitement ; sometimes two or three 

 twisted suddenly round, and broke the line. A halt was ordered, 

 and although it was impossible to see beyond the animal on the 

 immediate right and left, the order was given to dress into an 

 exact line, and then to advance. 



In this manner, with continual halts to re-form, we continued 

 our uncertain but irresistible advance. Suddenly we emerged 

 upon a swampy piece of grass interspersed with clumps of tamarisk ; 

 here there was intense excitement among the elephants, several 

 turned tail and bolted in an opposite direction, when the cause 

 was quickly discovered, by a large tiger passing exactly in front of 

 me not 20 yards distant, and showing himself most distinctly, 

 giving me a lovely chance. 



The elephant we rode was a female named Sutchnimia, and she 

 had been introduced to my notice as infallible, her character as 

 usual being well supported by her mahout ; but no sooner did this 

 heroic beast descry the tiger, than she twisted herself into every 

 possible contortion, throwing herself about in the most aimless 

 attitudes, with a vigour that threatened the safety of the howdah 

 and severely taxed the strength of the girth-ropes. 



